If you’re interested in ecology and reducing your environmental impact, maybe you’ve already heard of minimalism. This current trend, although experienced differently by anybody who considers themselves as a minimalist, can also have ecological purposes. Here’s why.
What is minimalism and why is it ecological?
Minimalism is a way of life that allows you to live in a simpler way. By owning only what you really need, not only is your physical space less cluttered, but also your mind and digital space. If you do some research, you’ll soon realise that everybody has a different definition of this lifestyle. You can also read that there are different types of minimalism. One of them, sustainable minimalism (or eco minimalism), is particularly focused on ecology and sustainability. Nevertheless, the general idea of consuming less, whatever the reasons or motives, is good for the planet.
Reduce your environmental impact by consuming less and better
“Less is more”. One of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe‘s favorite aphorisms makes perfect sense here. If one person decides not to buy a new phone, it won’t make a huge difference for the environment. However, if 1.000 or 1.000.000 people decided to do the same, the impact would be greater. Less sales would equal less production. And as a result, it would mean less precious resources consumption and less pollution due to exploitation, manufacturing and transportation.
Buying less also allows you to care less about your belongings. On the one hand, you don’t have to worry about not breaking or damaging your things. And on the other hand, it also means that you don’t have to clean these objects you don’t own. Especially with potentially harmful cleaning products. And in the end, it may mean less waste or less things to replace when broken. Besides, another purpose of minimalism is to buy quality products. Such sustainable goods are more solid or efficient, which means that they last longer. And the more something lasts, the less waste you generate by throwing things away when broken or damaged. What about you? What kind of minimalist would you like to be?
